Mountain Film Festival flickers through Germany

The Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour makes its way through Germany Feb. 16 to March 24.

The Banff Centre, a Canadian institution promoting art, culture and education, is the organizing force behind the festival, which each fall showcases films about mountain culture, sports and nature.

After the festival, several films are selected for inclusion in an international tour that travels to more than 30 countries. Proceeds from the showings support community causes or nonprofits such as youth adventure and outdoor pursuit programs, search- and-rescue operations or conservation groups.

Showcased films include:

“Crossing the Ice,” the story of two inexperienced Australians’ attempt to reach the South Pole; “Slacklining,” focusing on Dean Potter’s solo walk across a high rope; “Viva La Vie,” climbing in France’s Verdon Gorge; “The Last of the Great Unknown,” exploration of the Grand Canyon; “Mountains in Motion,” the Rocky Mountains as they change with the seasons; “The Gimp Monkeys,” three disabled climbers attempting the ascent of Yosemite National Park’s El Capitan; “Strength in Numbers,” a display of downhill and freestyle cycling.

The films, ranging from four to 44 minutes, are all shown on a single night in their original language with German subtitles.

The festival travels to more than 30 cities throughout Germany, many of which are within reasonable distance of U.S. military communities. Stops include: Heidelberg, Feb. 22; Darmstadt, Feb. 23; Bamberg, March 4; Regensburg, March 5; Nuremberg, March 7; Garmisch-Partenkirchen, March 9; Frankfurt, March 10; Pforzheim, March 14; Mannheim, March 16; Karlsruhe, March 17; and Stuttgart, March 18 and 19.

Tickets to most showings cost 12 euros per visitor when booked in advance on the website banffmountainfilm.de. The site is in German but easily understandable. To read a synopsis of the films, see www.tinyurl.com/aev3msv.

About the Author

Karen Bradbury has lived and worked in Europe for more than fifteen years. She has called Moscow, Copenhagen, Rome and now a small wine-producing village along the Rhine in Germany home. When she's not working, whatever the season, she's probably traveling.